Tea, scones, and ultra-luxury.
Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when you think of British fashion is Burberry Check. Or maybe it’s John Galliano’s theatrical decadence, or Alexander McQueen’s romantic darkness. Whatever your reference point, British designers have shaped the way we dress—and the way we think about style—for decades. Let’s meet seven of the most influential at FASHIONPHILE.
Alexander McQueen
The late Alexander McQueen was the master of romantic nihilism and subversive beauty. Under his eponymous brand, McQueen shocked, thrilled, and moved the fashion world with razor-sharp tailoring and emotionally charged runway shows. His legacy lives on in a house that still honors his vision for the dramatic and the daring.
Jimmy Choo
Malaysian-born but London-made, Jimmy Choo became the name on everyone’s lips when Princess Diana turned to him for bespoke heels. By the late 1990s, Jimmy Choo had gone from couture favorite to cultural icon thanks to Sex and the City shoutouts and red carpet regulars who made his stilettos a symbol of aspirational glamour.
Stella McCartney
Daughter of Sir Paul McCartney, Stella McCartney started her own British revolution: sustainable luxury. Since 2001, her brand has embraced the circular fashion movement through material innovation and ethical production. Her sporty, feminine aesthetic redefined what a conscious collection could be. Before founding her label, she served as the creative director of Chloe from 1997 to 2001, revitalizing the brand with her youthful, romantic aesthetic.
Phoebe Philo
British designer Phoebe Philo first honed her craft as Stella McCartney’s design assistant at Chloe before taking over as creative director in 2001. There, she helped define early-2000s femininity with cult classics like the Chloe Paddington, turning the fashion house into a powerhouse.
Jonathan Anderson
Like Phoebe, Irish-born Jonathan Anderson has a knack for resurrecting houses and restoring their roles as major players. He did this first at Loewe, where his playful, artful touch transformed everyday objects (like a tomato) into haute sculptures.
Jonathan left Loewe in 2025 after 11 years with the brand and is now serving as creative director of Dior while continuing to design for his brand, JW Anderson.
Thomas Burberry
Thomas Burberry was the founder who turned practicality into a fashion statement. He invented gabardine, created the trench coat, and gave us the Burberry Check, one of the most recognizable patterns in the world that has become synonymous with the UK. Burberry is British heritage in wearable form, and we will never tire of wearing it.
John Galliano
Galliano is British fashion’s enfant terrible, a visionary known for his theatrical designs and narrative-rich runway shows. He rose to fame with his own label in the 1990s before taking the reins at Givenchy and then Christian Dior, where he designed one of the most iconic handbags in fashion history: the Christian Dior Saddle Bag. After a highly publicized scandal that led to his dismissal from Dior in 2011, Galliano eventually returned to fashion.
London Calling
The sun never sets on great style. From the British Isles to your closet, shop these iconic designers and more only at FASHIONPHILE.
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